This Chicken Taco Skillet is a quick, flavor-packed dinner built for busy weeknights. Tender chicken is seasoned, sautéed, and finished in a smoky, sticky sauce—ready in about 30–35 minutes.
“Made this chicken taco skillet with chopped spinach as suggested, and it added a nice pop of color and flavor! The bacon pieces added a nice crunch and smoky flavor, it was really really good!” -Gwen
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 35 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 462 kcal, 40 g protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, BBQ sauce, cherry tomatoes, bacon, seasonings, chicken broth.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: One-pan, bold flavors, and ready in under 40 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights when you want a hearty, customizable meal with minimal cleanup.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
If taco night feels repetitive, this skillet switches things up while keeping dinner easy. Everything cooks in one pan: seasoned chicken pieces, savory sauce, juicy tomatoes, and crispy bacon. The result is a satisfying, family-friendly meal that’s quick to make and simple to customize.
One-skillet dinners are especially helpful when time is limited—bring the pan to the table and let everyone assemble their own tacos with dairy-free cheese, salsa, or avocado. This recipe fits the same approach as other weeknight favorites that prioritize convenience and protein-packed flavor.
💭Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Uses common pantry spices and a few fridge staples.
Quick: Reaches the table in about 30–35 minutes—ideal for busy evenings.
Versatile: Serve in warm tortillas, hard shells, over rice, or on cauliflower rice for a lighter option. It pairs well with many sides and toppings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and stay juicy. You can substitute chicken breasts (chopped small) or leftover cooked chicken.
- Seasoning: Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper—simple pantry spices create a robust base.
- Chicken broth: Use store-bought or homemade broth; bone broth works well for extra depth.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient quantities and serving suggestions.
Skillet Variations
Keto: Use a sugar-free BBQ sauce and add full-fat cheese or omit cheese if preferred.
Burrito bowls: Serve over rice and black beans or cauliflower rice with extra sauce for burrito-style bowls.
Spicy: Increase cayenne or add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to taste.
How to Make Chicken Skillet Dinner
Step 1: Season the chicken with the spices.
Step 2: Sauté the chicken in oil over medium-high heat until cooked through, then remove from the pan.
Step 3: Add onion and garlic to the skillet and sauté until softened.
Step 4: Whisk together broth and BBQ sauce, then add to the skillet.
Step 5: Return the chicken to the skillet, toss to coat in the sauce, then top with bacon and shredded dairy-free cheese. Turn off the heat and let the cheese melt. Add avocado right before serving.
Expert Tips
Chicken breasts can be used if you prefer. Chop them smaller so they cook evenly; they may be less juicy than thighs. Leftover shredded chicken works well—add it with the tomatoes and garlic and season as directed.
Offer toppings like avocado, dairy-free cheese, salsa, lime, and sour cream so everyone can build their own tacos. Corn hard-shells or gluten-free tortillas both work well.
Chicken Taco Skillet FAQs
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Serve the skillet mixture in taco shells, tortillas, over rice, or mixed with gluten-free noodles. Add your preferred toppings.
Yes. Brown ground chicken until no longer pink, then add the seasoning and continue with the recipe.
More Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
-
Healthy Chicken Bites [Spicy]
-
Non-Dairy Chicken Alfredo Casserole [Gluten-Free]
-
Gluten-Free Baked Chicken Thighs With Honey
-
Gluten-Free Crispy Chicken Bites
If you tried this Easy Chicken Skillet Dinner Recipe or any other recipe here, please leave a 🌟 star rating and share how it went!
Easy Chicken Taco Skillet (Gluten-Free)
Shelby Stover
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ Onion, chopped
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 teaspoons Minced garlic
- ¼ cup Chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup Bacon pieces
For Serving
- 1 cup Dairy-free cheese, shredded
- 1 Avocado, diced
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken to the hot skillet and sauté until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in the chopped onion. Sauté until softened.
- Add garlic and cherry tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften.
- In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and BBQ sauce.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and return the chicken. Toss to coat.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle with bacon and dairy-free cheese, and allow the cheese to melt.
- Stir in diced avocado just before serving.
Notes
Leftover shredded chicken can be added with the tomatoes and garlic; add the seasoning as directed.
Serve with avocado, cheese, salsa, and sour cream so everyone can build their own tacos. Use hard shells or gluten-free tortillas as desired.
Store cooled leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 40 g
Fat: 25 g
